With the midterm elections approaching, both parties are making final decisions about where to spend money and how to frame their closing arguments to voters. The contests for the House, Senate and several governorships remain competitive enough that strategists on both sides describe the map as still in motion.

In Maine, a pro-Susan Collins political action committee spent roughly $25,000 attacking Democratic opponent Troy Jackson in advertising aimed at Portland, Oregon, rather than Portland, Maine, where the Senate race is actually being contested. The mistake drew attention as an example of how national money sometimes moves faster than the people directing it. Separately, Maine Democrats have turned to Senator Bernie Sanders to help energize the race, reflecting anxiety within the party about turnout and enthusiasm in a contest they see as winnable but not secure.

Nationally, the Republican-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. has been narrowing its spending map, concentrating resources on districts and states viewed as most winnable rather than spreading money evenly, while also finalizing its last rounds of midterm spending decisions. Republicans are also navigating what some describe as a complicated relationship with former President Donald Trump, whose personal grievances and focus on issues other than the cost of living have created friction with strategists who want a message centered on affordability. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have campaigned in Ohio, where Democrats are hoping to flip the governor's mansion.

Democrats, meanwhile, are testing a message built around corruption and pocketbook concerns, framing ethics complaints against Republicans as a cost-of-living issue for voters. Analysts have also raised questions about whether the party's overall platform is substantial enough to carry it through the election, even as some Democrats point to Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia as a model for how the party might run going forward. In Arizona, Republican primary voters have repeatedly nominated candidates who deny the legitimacy of the 2020 election despite those candidates losing general elections, a pattern that could repeat this cycle.

Pollster and analyst Harry Enten has offered detailed predictions about how the midterms are likely to unfold, while other outlets have focused on identifying the specific blocs of voters — by age, geography and partisan intensity — expected to decide close races. Some business groups have also said they are preparing for the possibility of a more interventionist Washington on economic policy after the election, citing growing bipartisan interest in addressing costs and corporate behavior.

Taken together, the final weeks of the campaign show two parties still adjusting their strategies, an electorate narrowly divided, and millions of dollars still being allocated — including, in at least one instance, to the wrong Portland.

References

1. 1.Politico — reporting on Maine Senate race ad targeting error and Sanders' involvement
2. 2.Axios — reporting on MAGA Inc. spending strategy and Trump-Vance Ohio campaigning
3. 3.NBC News — reporting on Democratic messaging around corruption and affordability
4. 4.Associated Press — reporting on Arizona Republican primary patterns
5. 5.CNN — Harry Enten's midterm election analysis
6. 6.The Wall Street Journal — reporting on business groups' expectations for post-election economic policy